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Transport minister Gillian Merron has given final approval to the proposed London Gateway port at the 1,500 acre site at Shellhaven in the Thames estuary.
This follows agreement between the port promoters, P&O (part of Dubai Ports World) and local planning and highway authorities to ensure that the impact of the full development on the local area highway network is adequately catered for.
The Department for Communities and Local Government is, in addition, today granting planning permission for the adjacent London Gateway logistics and commercial centre and Business Park on the Shellhaven site.
The 10 million sq ft logistics park is just 20 miles from London. In total the development will provide some 14,000 jobs.
Mohammed Sharaf, chief executive of DP World, said: “ We will now be analysing the Government’s decision letters in more detail, so that we can press ahead and work towards construction.”
Construction is planned to begin later this year, with DP World aiming to have first occupiers on the park within 12-18 months, with the port operational from 2010. The development will be a major catalyst for delivering jobs, new homes and new opportunities in this identified growth region, thereby contributing significantly to the UK Government’s Thames Gateway regeneration programme.
